Hand-operated stapler



7, 1968 T. G. MONAHAN HAND-OPERATED STAPLER Filed May 16. 1966 UnitedStates Patent 3,398,872 HAND-OPERATED STAPLER Thomas G. Monahan, 5342Noble Ave., Sherman Oaks, Calif. 91403 Filed May 16, 1966, Ser. No.550,299 2 Claims. (Cl. 227-110) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A stapleremploying a conventional base and staple chute is provided with anintermediate arm which is pivotally mounted to the base. The staplechute is pivotally mounted at its forward end to the intermediate arm tobe rotatable in a plane generally parallel to the base. In this way,staples may be ejected either in the conventional position of the chutewith respect to the base, or, by pivoting the chute on the intermediatearm at right angles to the conventional position.

The present invention relates to hand-operated staplers of the type usedin otlices, for example, for stapling together sheets of paper, or thelike, by driving pre-formed staples through the sheets and thenclinching the staples.

The stapler of the invention is of the type which includes a base, andwhich also includes an arm mounted on the base for limited pivotalmovement between an up position and a down position with respect to thebase. The arm is normally spring biased to its up position.

A magazine chute for the staples is mounted on the aforesaid arm, and astapling actuator overlies the chute, in the embodiment to be described,as is usual with present day staplers. The staples are spring-biased tothe forward end of the magazine chute in a manner well understood in theart, and each time the stapler is operated, the actuator releases one ofthe staples and causes it to be driven through the sheets of paper. Ananvil is supported on the base directly under the forward end of thechute, and this anvil serves to clinch the staples as they are driven bythe actuator through the sheets of paper, also in a manner wellunderstood in the art.

When the papers to 'be stapled together are inserted between the forwardend of the chute and the anvil, the assembly may be depressed againstthe anvil to cause the actuator to eject a staple, drive the staplethrough the papers, and cause the staple to be clinched by the anvil soas to complete the stapling action.

The improved stapler of the present invention is constructed so that themagazine chute and actuator are pivotally mounted to the aforesaid armin a manner to be described. The action is such that the magazine chutemay be swung out from the arm to a perpendicular position, thus causingits forward end to be rotated 90 with respect to the base. A guide trackis provided, for example, integral with the aforesaid arm, so that theforward end of the chute may be rotated between two angular positions,displaced by 90 from one another, with respect to the base.

The anvil is provided on the base with a pair of grooves which arepositioned at right angles to one another. These grooves enable staplesejected from the chute to be clinched in a first particular positionwith respect to the inserted papers when the chute is in its firstangular position, and in a ninety degree displaced angular position whenthe chute is swung out from the arm so that its forward end is rotatedthrough 90 to its second angular position.

The above described feature of the stapler of the present invention isadvantageous in that it permits, for example, papers to be stapledtogether at normally inaccessible 3,398,872 Patented Aug. 27, 1968positions, such as at the middle of a sheet, so that the top sheet maybe folded back. This is most useful, for example, when a paragraph is tobe added to a document, or when an insert is made to a page, by addingflaps.

The stapler of the present invention also has other general uses, inthat it permits stapling of sheets of paper, and other documents, in avariety of positions which are inaccessible to the usual prior artstapler.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is .to provide animproved dual-function stapler which includes, for example, a staplemagazine chute which ,may be swung out to a perpendicular position withrespect to the base, so as to rotate its forward end through from oneangular position to another, for the reasons outlined above.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will .-become apparentfrom a consideration of the following specification, when thespecification is considered in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a stapler constructed toincorporate the concepts of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the stapler of FIGURE 1, in a first operatingposition;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the stapler of FIGURE 1, in a secondoperating position;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of an appropriate anvil for use in thestapler; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of another component of the staplerassembly.

The stapler illustrated in the drawing includes a usual elongated base10. The underside of the base 10 is equipped with appropriate pads 12.These pads, for example, may be composed of a rubber-like substance, sothat the stapler will not scratch the surface on which it is used.

An operating arm 14 is pivotally mounted on the base 10 by means, forexample, of a pivot pin 16, for pivotal movement in a planeperpendicular to the base about an axis paralleling the base 10.Appropriate means, not shown, is provided for biasing the forward end ofthe arm 14 to a position spaced up from the base 10, as shown in FIGURE1.

The pivotal movement of the arm 14 is limited by other appropriate means(not shown), so that when it is resiliently biased in a clockwisedirection ;in FIGURE 1 to the up position, it assumes a generally"horizontal position parallel to the base 10, or a slightly tiltedposition, as shown in FIGURE 1. It will be appreciated that each timethe stapler is operated, the free left-hand end of the arm 14 is moveddown towards the base 10 to a down position.

An arcuate guide track 18 is formed integral with the arm 14, and thisarcuate guide track extends from one side of the arm 14 essentiallyparallel to the plane of the base. The configuration of the guide trackis best shown in FIGURE 5.

The stapler includes a usual elongated magazine chute 20. A stick ofstaples is positioned in the chute 20, as well understood in the art,and these staples are urged by an appropriate resilient means towardsthe forward end of the chute. An elongated actuator 22 is pivoted to therear end of the chute 20, and the actuator overlies the chute, as bestshown in FIGURE 1.

The mechanism is such that each time the handle 23 of the actuator ispressed down, not only is the free end of the arm 14 moved down to itsdown position, but the actuator is caused to drive a staple through theforward end of the chute 20, and through the sheets of paper heldbetween the free end of the arm 14 and the base 10.

An anvil 24 is mounted on the base 10 directly under the forward end ofthe chute 20, so that the staple ejected by the actuator 22, and forcedthrough the sheets of paper thereby; may be clinched sheet.

The chute 20 is pivoted to the arm 14 by means, for example, ofapivotpin 26. This pivot pin extends through a-hole 28 (FIGURE in theforward end of the arm 14 and into-the forward end of the chute. Thispivotal couplingof the forward end of the chute to the forward end ofthe arm 14 permits the rear end of the chute 20 to be swung out from thearm, in the plane of the arm, from a first aligned position with respectto the arm (FIGURE 2) to a second perpendicular position with respect tothe arm (FIGURE 3).

A pin 30 projects down from the bottom of the chute 20 and through anarcuate slot in the guide 18, so that the angular movement of the chute20 is limited to ninety degrees, in its position of FIGURE 3, and to analigned relationship, in its position of FIGURE 2. This guide and pinrelationship permits the magazine chute 20 to be swung out to theperpendicular position, or swung into its aligned position, so thatmovement of the chute is positively limited to each of its two extremepositions. Likewise, the rotational movement of the forward end of thechute 20 is between a first angular position and a second angularposition displaced ninety degrees from the first angular position. i Apair of grooves 24a (FIGURE 4) are formed in the anvil 24. These groovesare disposed at ninety degrees to oneanother, and they perform thedesired clinching action for the staples ejected by the actuator 22,when the forward end of the chute 20 is in either of its two angularpositions.

It will be appreciated, therefore, that when the stapler is in theposition shown in FIGURES l and 2, it functions as a usual stapler, andmay be used for stapling in the normal manner. However, when it isdesired to insert staples in sheets of paper, and at a position normallyinaccessible to the prior art staplers, the chute 20 is swung out to itsposition of FIGURE 3, as limited by the guide track 18. This permits thestapler to be inserted from the side ofa sheet of paper, for example,and yet permits stapling at a midsheet position, with the staplesextending across the sheet, as is desired for folding action.

As mentioned above, the improved stapler is also capable of other dualpurpose uses, and for performing stapling operations from positionswhich are inaccessible to the usual prior art stapler.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been described,modifications may be made. It is intended tightly against the lowermost4 to cover all such modifications as fall within the'scope of theinvention, in the following claims.

What is claimed is: 1. A stapler including: an elongated base; anoperating arm pivotally mountedto said base and pivotally supported atits rear end of said base with its forward end spaced normally from saidbase for limited pivotal movement about an axis generally parallel tothe plane of said base; means defining an arcuate guide track on saidoperating arm adjacent the forward end thereof and extending from oneside of said arm in a plane essentially parallel to the plane of saidbase; an elongated staple magazine chute mounted on said operating armand overlying said operating arm; means pivotally mounting the forwardend of said chute to the end of said arm to enable the rear end of saidchute to be swung in a plane essentially parallel to the plane of saidbase from a first position aligned with said arm to a second positionperpendicular to said arm so as to turn the forward end of said chutefrom a first angular position through substantially to a second angularposition; a pin projecting down from said chute into said guide track tolimit the angular swing of the rear end of said chute between said firstaligned position and said second perpendicular position with respect tosaid arm; an actuator positioned to eject staples from the forward end'of said chute; and an anvil mounted on said base directly under saidforward end of said chute and having mutually perpendicular groovestherein to clinch staples from said chute when said chute is in eitherthe first or second angular positions. 2. The stapler defined in claim 1in which said means defining said arcuate guide track is integral withsaid arm.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,586,583 6/1926 Skrebba.2,358,463 9/1944 Masters 227-410 2,922,163 1/1960 Smick 227- FOREIGNPATENTS 928,437 11/1947 France.

TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner.

